Fire and Ice - Act I: The Nature of Magic
by FantasyFoSho
Summary: <html><head></head>Elsa's understanding of magic expands as strangers from beyond the sea reveal to her the answers to questions she'd been asking her entire life. However, when an old enemy returns, Elsa realizes that she may need more than just her magic to keep her people safe.</html>
1. The Prince of Vharel

_Author's note: This story takes place a couple months after the events of the first movie. There will be a strong emphasis on magic, which has been expanded to include (hopefully) easy to follow rules and limitations and additional variety besides just simply fire and ice._ _I've taken great care as to not erase the accomplishments of Elsa during the movie. Her abilities remain as strong as ever, but her lack of knowledge and residual fear of hurting others prevents her from truly reaching her potential. Khan and Karah, my OCs, are lightcasters (word for magicians in this story) from a far away land. They wield red light; fire magic and understand their powers. They hope to erase the fear of magic and bring light back to the rest of the world. The character POVs will be more or less equally divided between the canon characters and the OCs. If you have any questions, feel free to send me a PM and don't forget to review! _

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><p><em><strong>PRESENT DAY...<strong>_

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><p><strong>KARAH<strong>

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><p>She would never forget the screams.<p>

The most horrible of life's moments occur in that near instantaneous span of time that marks the transition from bliss to terror. In a flash, smiles become lopsided. In a flash, laughter becomes screams. In a flash, life becomes death. Light becomes dark.

The Vharel University of Lightcasting was the most prestigious of its kind. Its towers, like its faculty and students, climbed closer to the heavens with each passing year. Discoveries in magic and its many implements occurred by the day and the knowledge stored away for safekeeping in many of the university's hidden vaults and secret libraries. Stained glass adorned the windows of the university, depicting events old and new. Incredible discoveries, terrible wars, heroes, monsters, and fiends; the mosaic did not judge but simply included all, expanding as the years went by. For decades it had been a safe haven for magic and all of its practitioners. Once feared in the land but now embraced. That safety extended outwards to the rest of the city, and Vharel became the city of colors. Life was good.

Good things never last. Shadows form in the presence of light, and in the shadows of the university was formed a great darkness. It was that darkness that destroyed everything. Spires were cast down, glass was shattered, ancient libraries were burned. The lights were snuffed out like a candle in the face of a mighty storm, and the people screamed. She would never forget the screams.

Red for fire. Blue for ice. Green for preservation.

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><p><strong>KHAN<strong>

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><p>Khan huddled close to the wall, inching slowly towards the edge. His tanned face was marked with scratches, and his lips were dry. A thin line of blood ran down his cheek from where he had been cut. The sandstone scraped against the silk of his robe, damaging the fine silver and gold threads woven throughout. His pursuers were close by. He slid, his sandalled feet seeming to hover as he dared to peek around the corner. The street was empty, though stands topped with merchandise remained. Heaps of refuse littered the ground which just an hour ago was spotless.<p>

With a breath, he leapt from his hiding place, dashing past stands until he came to another intersection of streets. Stillness and silence dominated the area. In the distance, sound rallied weakly in the form of screams and grinding of metal upon metal. Khan avoided looking at the bodies. He crouched behind an abandoned stand, one of the larger ones in the area, and closed his eyes.

At first, he saw what anyone would see; pitch black darkness. Khan persisted. He focused on his heart, the core of his being and the source of his magic. Like a flash of lightning, red light erupted, filling his vision. This was within him. This light. His life. His fire. He breathed deeply and like a bottle uncorked and tipped, the light in his core flowed outward to the rest of his body, coalescing at his fingertips. He opened his eyes, feeling the magic surge within him. It was a beautiful feeling, and it sickened him that there were people who wanted to take it away.

In the distance, where his people struggled to survive the onslaught of the invaders, lights shone dimly. He turned away from the suffering and back towards where he assumed his pursuers were still looking for him. Lights of different colors flicked back in forth, seemingly on the sandstone walls of the marketplace. Their brightness - or rather, their _dimness_, let Khan know that the men who ambushed him were still quite some ways away. Their colours; cyan, magenta, and white, filled Khan with rage. Were it not for these three, Khan would have been able to save his people. They were traitors of the highest order. Lightcasters serving the Shadows.

"Prince Khan!"

Khan flinched, ducking reflexively. He gripped the frame of the stand, peering through the cracks between wooden boards, glimpsing Highlord Janus and his men. They were coming in from the East, opposite of the fighting. Khan noticed the lack of dust and dents on their armor and the men seemed to be in fine spirits despite the situation. The swords of Janus' men were clean, save for Janus himself, whose sword dripped red. _Were they just entering combat? _

"Ho, Janus!" Khan called, stepping into the open. The marshal saluted. _Not as crisp as it once was, _Khan thought, of the noble's salute. _You must be getting old. "_How are we doing?" Khan asked.

One of the men behind the marshal shifted uncomfortably, a movement that was swiftly berated by a sharp look. "The enemy harrows us from the west." Janus said. "As we did not expect an attack at this hour, or even at all, my men are just beginning to form up." Khan folded his arms, humming. "And what of your sword?" he asked, with a tilt of his head. The highlord looked at his blade in disgust. He spat on the ground, blue eyes twinkling. Sweat dripped from his greying hair. "Bloody spies tried to open the postern gate. They have another force primed to assault us from the rear. Granted it's smaller, but that's hardly a comfort."

Khan frowned. Things were worse than he thought. "Your men are headed west, yes?" The grizzled commander nodded. "Well, get to it then." Khan said, turning. As he did, Janus grabbed him by the wrist. Khan jerked away, his eyes glowing red as he flared his light. The pressure of the gauntleted hand had twisted his own. Janus backed away cautiously, as waves of heat rose up from Khan's shoulders. "What is the meaning of this?" Khan demanded. The man was quick to stammer an apology. "Nothing, my Prince," he said. "But are you not coming with us?" Khan shook his head before turning away and walking out of the man's reach. "I have my own business to attend to. Go, defend my city. That is an order."

He broke off into a sprint, in the direction of the floating orb of magenta. For the first few seconds of his sprint, Khan could run unimpeded, his sandals clapping against the chiseled street, but now buildings stood in his way. _Not for long._ Khan raised his hand, which glowed red, never breaking pace. _Burn_.

A blast of red light erupted from his fingertips, crashing into the wall before him, incinerating it where it struck. The light spread like a shockwave on the wall's surface, burning the sandstone to smolders before stopping at a circumference that allowed Khan to run through uninterrupted. As he ran past, Khan checked his reserves. Again, light flowed from his core to his fingertips, but the light of core had decreased in intensity in response to the efflux. The light would replenish itself in time, but it was not nearly fast enough for Khan to continue to burn things for as long as he wished. Knowing this, Khan forsook going through walls and instead rounded the houses he encountered.

He came to another bend, stopping at the edge of a thin wooden wall. The magenta light shone intensely before him. Its owner was just beyond the fragile barrier. Khan raised his hand again, focusing his light into the tips of his fingers. Thin wisps of smoke curled and danced as he prepared his magic. His fire would engulf the building like it was nothing. _Fla-_

"We've got the sister." came the voice from within. Gruff. Deep. "But the boy eludes us."

"Are you not seers?" another replied, this one softer and more well-spoken. Intelligent, almost. "Can you not locate him by his light?"

Khan's eyes widened. A second? Khan focused light into his eyes. The magenta flame increased in intensity in response. Where was the second light? Khan reached into the pocket of his robe, thumbing the pitch-black obsidian sphere. Was this second person using a similar trinket to hide himself? Khan pulled the light back from his fingertips into his core as a pit in his stomach formed. They have Karah. He needed to know where they took her. He held his breath as the conversation continued.

"We cannot. As soon as he escaped us, the boy ran back to the palace. Once he was there, his light vanished."

The second person pondered this for a moment. "Concealment. No matter, he is not essential as long as we have his sister." Footsteps walked away from Khan. "Let us go. The sister must come with us. We head for the second piece of the puzzle. We head for Arendelle."

Khan peeked around the corner as a door opened and shut. He glimpsed a flash of white cloth. _Arendelle?_ He frowned. There could only be one reason for them to go to that place. Khan fled in the opposite direction. There was another way out of the city. A quicker way. He had to warn the queen. With the three of them, they may be able to overcome the magic of the enemy. No, he was _certain _that they'd be able. But what of the second man? What secrets did he hold? Khan cursed. He needed more information.

As he headed towards the postern gate, he looked back where smoke now billowed from deeper within the city. His people. He vowed to return for them. But before he could save them, he must first save the world. He hailed for the gates to open, and after a short delay, the gates rose and Khan sprinted out. He ran a short distance across the prickly grass of the Vhareli plains before stopping. Where was the force of enemies that Janus had told him about? He slowly turned back, but the city was closed to him. _No. I cannot go back now. I have a greater duty. _With that he spun, away from the city of screams.

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><p><em>Author's note: Subsequent chapters will take place one month prior to the events of this one, unless otherwise stated.<em>


	2. Matters of Court

_**Authors Note: **__This is pretty much my first ever attempt at writing Elsa and since I wrote this chapter before I wrote the first chapter, it's also one of my first attempts at writing a female character in years! Hopefully I have improved since then. I want to stay as true to the characters as possible, so if any of the canon characters do anything that you think is out of character or if their POVs don't seem quite like they should be, please let me know. Thanks!_

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><p><strong><em>One Month Ago...<em>**

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><p><strong>ELSA<strong>

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><p>"And then I told Markos, who told Flynn, who told Marcella, who told Markos again-who heard it completely wrong, oh the the poor boy was so confused, who accidentally told Gwendolyn, who obviously ran back to Galinda and told her, so that was awkward. It's all just one big mis-communication." The woman prattled on, making wild gestures with her hands, each additional name spoken with the emphasis of a hammer thumping against... Elsa thought about it. Against a head, she supposed, by that point.<p>

"So..." Elsa began, slowly. "Let me see if I have this right. Galinda," she gestured to the short, curly haired woman in the yellow skirt on the right, who nodded, "Asked you, Darcey," this time the woman who spoke nodded, "To order her a sack of potatoes."

"That's right." said Galinda, with a huff.

"So Darcey," Elsa continued, making sure she didn't miss anything. "Darcy told Markos to order them, who then told Flynn, and then Marcella, and then Markos again?" Darcey nodded. "And then Markos told Gwendolyn, who told Galinda, to buy the sack of potatoes for herself?" Galinda, red-faced, nodded curtly. "And after all of this you ended up with 5 sacks of potatoes and 1 sack of tomatoes."

"Well you see," Darcey chimed in, "Everyone felt bad about passing on the duty so they all decided to order a sack themselves, thinking the next person would just pass it on like they did! Poor Markos thought Galinda wanted a sack of potatoes _and_ a sack of tomatoes."

Elsa clutched her head, massaging the sides of her temple with the balls of her palm. "It does sound like one big miscommunication. The kingdom will compensate the loss of those involved, as the cost is small. However, we will keep the four extra sacks of potatoes and the sack of tomatoes." The two women bowed graciously. "Thank you, Your Highness." said Galinda, before the two departed.

Elsa turned and called to Lewyn, her doorwarden, who perked up from his slumped position against the wall of the courtroom. _Was he sleeping? _"Are there any more?" she asked him. The doorwarden wiped his mouth with his sleeve, and then checked his book. "Uh, well, there seems to be a few more." Elsa breathed deeply, staring at a window to her right. "Okay."

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><p><strong>One hour later...<strong>

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><p>A streak of black passed left. <em>Bzzz.<em> Blue eyes followed.  
>The streak passed right. <em>Bzzz.<em> Again, blue eyes followed.  
>The streak of black flew in a circular motion, and once more, blue eyes followed. <em>Bzzz.<em>  
>Elsa wrinkled her nose.<p>

"Your Highness?" a voice asked, as the streak of black sped away.

Elsa flinched, forcing her gaze onto the portly man standing by the foot of her throne. She sighed, sinking into her seat. "My apologies, Lewyn. It has been a long day."

The doorward nodded, patting his bald head with a handkerchief. "One more guest for you, my Queen. The last one. I promise."

Elsa nodded. "Very well." She said. "Let them in."

The doors swung open., allowing warm light from the midday sun to flow into the room. Elsa stifled a yawn. Was it _just_ midday? Why did it feel like she had been sitting there for ages? She shifted in her seat with the thought, adjusting her position to remove pressure off of her aching backside. The creaking of the chair was accompanied by the rhythmic thumps of a pair of dark boots marching across the floor followed by the quick shuffling maroons of her doorwarden.

"Lord Hester," Lewyn announced, "Of the western township of East Easterton." Elsa blinked at the name. Her thoughts on that were interrupted by an unexpectedly high pitched voice.

"I can see the confusion in your eyes, Highness." said the burly, fully bearded man before her. Elsa continued to stare, shifting once again in her seat. What did his voice remind her of? The man continued as she pondered.

"The western lands never had a penchant for fame and fortune, but that does not mean that we lack the capacity to obtain either if we wished to." Songbird, Elsa concluded. He sounded like a songbird.

She straightened her back, satisfied, as she cleared her throat. "I must admit, I have not heard of the name before. I have much to know about our neighbours in the… west, was it?" The tall, light skinned man nodded.

"It is perfectly fine." He said, with a slight tip of his head. "It's a great wonder that you've been able to accomplish as much as you have at such a young age." his voice dipped in pitch. "I am sorry I was not able to pay my condolences in person."

Elsa looked away. "It's in the past." She whispered. The Lord Hester shuffled his feet, uncomfortably.

"We've been growing in wealth and power lately." he went on, in an awkward change of pace. "A new mineral has been discovered in our mines, and the wealth it has brought has allowed us to bolster our fighting force threefold. His voice rose to a crescendo.

"And I believe that in soon time, we'll be the greatest of the western townships. As such, I would like to ask Your Highness if you would consider a union with my house. I believe an alliance between the two of us would be mutually beneficial."

Elsa frowned. Lord Hester stepped back in alarm. News of her abilities traveled swiftly, since a month ago. "Beneficial, how?" She asked, for the third time that day. "We don't need tradeable goods, as our ice business is flourishing. And power?" She lifted her fingers, which streamed with blue light. "We have power. I don't see what Arendelle will gain if this union were to be made."

"An ally, for one!" said Lord Hester, who stepped closer to the throne than he was welcome to. Elsa stood, her hands curled into fists at her side. Lord Hester, now red-faced, continued. "Everyone everywhere has heard of what you've done! They fear you as some kind of monster! An ice witch! And this feud you have with the Southern Isles… You'd be hard-pressed to find a single ally! A single one, if you turn me down!"

Elsa had heard enough. "Take this man from my sight, Lewyn." She said, turning away. The icy blue mists around her fingers pulsated. "Or I will do _more_ than turn him down." With a high-pitched huff, the westerner turned on his ankle, stomping out of the room before the doorwarden could reach him. The door slammed with a resounding _thud! _Elsa fell back into her chair, blinking away the tears. Lewyn, returning to the foot of her throne, inched slowly towards her, his head bowed lower than it had ever been.

"I'm sorry Your Highness, I should have turned him away…"

"No." Elsa, lifted her hand. "It's my fault. I shouldn't have lost my temper. I'm just frustrated. I need to take a walk. Where is Anna? Where is my sister?"

"Probably with the Royal Ice Master, mapping out another delivery route. Lately, bandits have been making deliveries more dangerous than usual."

Elsa groaned. Bandits. Great. _Another_ problem she had to deal with. "Thank you for staying through all of that." she said. "I'll get better at this. I promise." Lewyn bowed his head as she made her way towards the side hallway leading out of the room.

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><p><strong>ANNA<strong>

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><p>"What if we go over the mountain? We could ask Elsa to make some bridges to cross the chasms. We'd avoid the bandits altogether!" the princess of Arendelle beamed as she drove the tip of her forefinger across the scaled down drawing of the North Mountain. It was perfect! And she'd get to see Elsa's ice castle again! They could even make it a tourist destination!<p>

"That could work…" said Kristoff, inching closer in his chair to the roundtable. The map of Arendelle and the surrounding lands atop it was large but the text was so infuriatingly miniscule that he had to squint just to read any notations the royal cartographer had added. "We'd avoid the bandits for sure, but we'd run straight into the wolves."

Anna waved her hand. "Wolves schmolves. Remember the last time they thought they could take us?" She poked Kristoff's forearm with the tip of her elbow.

He smiled, still staring at the map. "How could I forget? I only lost my sled and all the things in it!"

Anna grimaced. "Well that sled was too slow anyways. The new sled is much faster _and_ more durable!" Kristoff laughed.

"Now you're just rubbing it in." he said. "By new sled, do you mean _the_ new sled that exploded into a million tiny pieces when you steered it into a boulder after insisting you've been practicing your sleigh maneuvering?"

Anna squinted her eyes, further accentuating her grimace. "Third time's the charm? And besides!" she protested, crossing her arms. "I practiced with Sven! I didn't know different reindeer could be so… different."

Kristoff patted the top of her hair and kissed her cheek, chuckling. "You still have much to learn, apprentice ice deliverer." She returned the favor.

"Says the guy who still doesn't know how to hold a fork."

"Who still doesn't know how to hold a fork?" asked a familiar, feminine voice.

"Elsa!" Anna pounced on her sister, hugging her aggressively. The queen giggled, a sound she could never get tired of hearing. "How'd it go at the court? Were the people nice to you?" Anna asked, as she pulled away.

Elsa rubbed the back of her hand. "It was fine. The villagers were great. It's the guests that are the problem."

Kristoff grunted from his hunched over position at the round table. "That's foreign dignitaries for you, Els- Your Highness." Anna shrugged as her sister gave her a puzzled look.

"Please," the Queen of Arendelle said, "You're practically family. Just Elsa is fine." Kristoff nodded, still lost in the fine lines of cartography.

"As you wish, Your Elsa." He straightened suddenly, eyes wide wide and mouth agape. The two sisters laughed as the shaggy haired man muttered flustered apologies.

"Isn't he just adorable!" Anna squealed, squeezing Kristoff's cheeks.

"So tell me about the bandits." asked Elsa once the laughter had abated.

"Well…" Anna bit her lower lip. She walked over to the map, pointing at the expanse of forested area beyond the village. "Our old route ran through here, but lately, we've been running into these men…"

"Crooks, are what they are!" Kristoff added, with a frown.

"They threatened us and demanded that we give up our ice and everything else that we had and we weren't going to do that so we tried to ride past them." Anna continued. "Kristoff held them off while I took the reins and kinda, um." She winced. "Crashed the sled. "

"We got away before they could jump us." Kristoff finished. "I talked to the villagers. They've been growing in numbers. I have no idea why they're suddenly getting bolder." He crossed his arms. "We figured with your powers they'd think twice about what they're doing. It just doesn't make any sense. So now we need to figure out a new route for making deliveries. And we need a new sled."

"Done." said Elsa, as Anna breathed a sigh of relief. She was worried that with everything going on with the kingdom, she wouldn't be able to replace Kristoff's sled. "The sled, we can make quickly." Her sister went on."But the bandits we'll have to deal with more carefully. Maybe we could send more soldiers to patrol the land around the village…"

She was interrupted by a blaring horn. A crier's voice rose in the distance, though his words were lost in the wind. The three friends rushed to the window of the tower. At a distance away, a procession of orange approached the castle gates. Above them a banner flew: a white hawk on orange, holding a rose. Elsa sighed audibly.

"Where have I seen that before?" said Anna, as she and Kristoff followed the Queen out of the room.


	3. Sun and Snow

**_Author's note: _**_Aaaand, another chapter! I just can't stop writing! This may be the last one for today, though, as I have work to do for school. I hope you're enjoying reading it as much as I am enjoying writing it! If you have any questions or concerns about anything, just shoot me a PM or write a review with your question and I'll get to it as soon as I can._

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><p><strong>KARAH<strong>

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><p>What a wonderful day! Skies bluer than blue, wind blowing at just the right speed, and was that… chocolate in the air? The princess of Vharel closed her eyes and inhaled sharply. Her red lips curled in a smile. Yes. She liked this place very much. She opened her eyes, revealing deep hazel, and hummed songs of anticipation as the carriage approached the castle-on-the-lake of Arendelle. Across from her, Khan, her older brother and the ruler of Vharel, snored. How could he sleep so much? Karah wondered. They've been in the same carriage for close to a week, and on a boat for another couple before that. And then before <em>that<em> they were on another carriage! How could he sleep so much with all of this sitting? Karah looked longingly at the staring townsfolk. How she wished she could join them and gawk rather than be the one being gawked at. She felt like an animal.

She nudged the sleeping Prince with her slippered foot. "Khan! _Psst! _We're here." The dark haired boy stirred. At 19, he was the latest ascendent to the throne of Vharel, its ruling Prince. By a mere five seconds later, Karah was the heir. The princess. Un-capitalized. She always took issue with that. "Khan! Don't make us look undignified! Don't you want to see her?"

"Put a sock in it." The brown skinned boy mumbled his favourite retort. His eyes were still shut as he raised his forearm to wipe a trail of saliva that had slithered down his jaw.

Karah kicked him harder. "I'll put a sock in your _mouth_ if you don't get up this instant!" The Prince groaned, but sat up, rubbing his eyes vigorously with his palms. Karah smirked, her satisfaction glowing. Clearly her brother had gotten tired of the taste of sock. She bet it tasted awful.

"Of course I want to see her." he said, looking out past the townspeople and towards the castle gates. "We've waited for this moment our entire lives. Blue! I still can't believe it."

Karah beamed, fingering the tips of her gloves. She flared her light; red, just like her brother's. Lights flashed into existence all around her. White for the townspeople, red for her brother, and in the castle, bright as an inferno, blue for the queen. The blue light descended down one of the towers.

"She's coming to meet us!" Karah squealed. Khan twisted in his seat as he flared his own light, slightly changing the colors of his eyes, to get a view for himself.

"Wonderful." He breathed. "Okay, serious faces. We can't mess this up."

Karah nodded her head vigorously. She lifted her hand and passed her palm in front of her face. Her grin disappeared, replaced by an impassive expression. "Please don't do anything stupid." She quipped, keeping her face serious.

"When have I ever done anything stupid?" he replied. His face had settled as well, and on his lips was a smile of bemusement.

Karah snorted. "When have you not?"

They passed through the gates and into the courtyard. Before the castle doors stood a portly man with a balding head who rushed up to meet them, followed by a squadron of soldiers; the castle guard.

"Halt!" Shouted the man who appeared to be the guard captain. He raised a gauntleted hand, and in response, the carriage slowed to a stop. The soldiers, attired in full plate, surrounded the carriage. The twins' unarmed servants stepped back, wary. Khan stepped out onto the pathway, his arms raised, his orange garb ruffling.

"We are royalty from the Principality of Vharel, across the Stormy Sea." Karah watched her brother's performance from behind the parchment of her fan, her mouth obscured by a painting of a hawk.

"Is that supposed to mean something to me?" the armored man asked, his eyes narrowing.

Khan fumbled. "Well, no. I suppose not." He looked around, grimacing at the soldiers. They weren't hostile yet, but they were growing suspicious. "We would just like to request an audience with the Queen."

"If you are royalty, then you should have sent a messenger to announce your intent to visit."

Khan appeared to consider it, then he shrugged. "My bad?" The guard did not appear amused with the response.

The balding man stepped forward. "Regardless, the Queen is unable to provide an audience at the moment. You should have come an hour ago."

"But what if you told her that I said please?"

Karah groaned. _Khan, you idiot._ She stepped out of the carriage. The men turned to her at once. She smiled alluringly at them and one of the soldiers dropped his spear.

She put a hand on Khan's chest and gently pushed him out of the way. "Let me handle this." she whispered.

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><p><strong>ELSA<strong>

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><p>"If this is another marriage proposal, I am going to <em>freeze<em> something!" Elsa whispered as she sped down the stairs of the tower. Anna and Kristoff trailed closely behind her.

"How many did you get today?" she heard the princess say, in between breaths.

"_Three_!" said Elsa. "Three proposals in just as many hours!"

Anna was silent for a second, and then, "At least it's not four?" Elsa laughed, despite herself. Her sister always knew the right thing to say, even if the right thing to say wasn't exactly helpful.

"You said you've seen their banner before?"

"Yeah, but… I can't remember where. It's got to be from when we were still kids."

Elsa thought about it. She couldn't pinpoint the exact moment, but the crest did seem familiar. A hawk carrying a rose. Could it have been one of father's visitors?

They stairwell ended and the trio hurried past the door, taking a right turn into a long hallway, filled with paintings. Monarchs of the past. Elsa kept her eyes on the door at the end of the hall. Compared to them, she felt small. Unworthy. Past the door, she led her sister and probably future brother-in-law to the main hall and then out onto the steps of the foyer. Guards waited by the door, slightly ajar. Elsa raised a brow at one of the soldiers, who shrugged in reply. The three of them descended and waited, listening to a boisterous male voice making proclamations outside and arguing with her doorward, Lewyn.

"The Queen is not taking anymore visitors, today!" She heard the portly man say. His opponent in the argument laughed, harshly.

"Trust me, she'll take us."

Lewyn laughed harshly in response. Elsa suppressed a smile. It was unlike the man to even raise his voice. He was far too kind. "And what makes you think that?" he asked.

The man did not reply immediately. After some time, he spoke, "We know the answers you seek."

Silenced followed the proclamation. A chill rose in Elsa. Did he talk directly to her? She heard footsteps clack across the paved pathway to the castle and up the steps. It stopped before the partially open door. "Queen Elsa. My sister Karah and I come from a far away land, where I rule as prince. We are like _you._ And we want to help."

Elsa stepped towards the door, reaching out towards the handle. Her hands quivered as they touched the metal. She pulled the door back, revealing a dark haired man with tanned skin, attired with a robe of orange silk, trimmed with gold and silver threads. Beside him was a woman, the most beautiful she had seen, with red hair, fair skin, and a blithe smile.

Voice quivering, Elsa spoke. "How can you help me?"

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><p><strong>ANNA<strong>

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><p>"How can you help me?"<p>

Anna's heart sank, hearing the sadness in her sister's voice. It pained her greatly that there was little she could do to help Elsa control her powers. True, her presence seem to help undo the effects of Elsa's spells, but other than that, she didn't feel like she was helping much. Since the continental winter, the two of them had taken to closing off the great hall in order to practice. Elsa would create wondrous objects and Anna would cheer her on as she did so. When said wondrous object would finish, Elsa would attempt to undo her spell, and Anna still would cheer her on. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't. If love was what it took to thaw frozen things, it sure was inconsistent. One event Anna could recall was when Elsa had conjured up a statue of the two of them wearing large, flamboyant, plumed hats. It was ridiculous. Elsa's inability to undo her spell meant they had to keep the Great Hall closed for a week while it melted to keep the two sisters' dignities intact. Anna smiled at the memory.

She craned her neck, catching a glimpse of the self-proclaimed prince. He didn't look like any prince she'd seen. His clothing stood out the most as it was mostly loose, rather than tight, as was the trending fashion of the nobility in Arendelle and the neighbouring countries. He wore sandals, where another prince would've worn boots, and his hair was messy instead of carefully styled. No, he was not like any other prince she had seen. But then again, he did not look like most people to begin with, with his dark hair, tan skin, and hazel eyes. Shorter than most, too. Where was he from? Anna wasn't going to take _from a far away land_ as an acceptable answer.

The stranger introduced himself. As did his sister. Anna repeated their names in her head. _Khan and Karah. _She pursed her lips. _Nope, definitely not from around here. Which I already knew. Because they told us. _She gasped. _But what if they're not? What if… what if it's all an elaborate setup to get Elsa to agree to marriage! _She tapped a finger against her chin. _Oooh,_ _I should keep an eye on them. Especially that prince. If my life experiences are anything to go by, princes have a one hundred percent chance of lying to you. Statistics never lie! Right?_

Anna turned her head, feeling eyes. Sure enough, Kristoff was staring at her. He tilted his head to the side, as if to ask her what she was doing. Anna moved her eyebrows up and down, trying to point to her forehead with the motion, stopping once she realized it seemed to confuse him even more.

"_Thinking!_" she whispered, apparently too softly for him to hear as he cocked his head to the side once more. "Thinking!" she said, a little louder.

"Yes you are!" said a voice that wasn't Kristoff's. Anna winced. "Good job!" Moments later she heard the man named Khan yelp as his sister evidently pinched him. In her pondering, Anna had missed much of Karah and Khan's introduction. She did catch that they were twins, though. And apparently they had powers?

"It's magic, yes." the woman, Karah, was saying. "But like all things, it has a limit. What we can do may not be equal to what you can do,"

Anna listened on as Elsa asked question after question. She noticed that the twins were careful in their answers. Were they not comfortable with Anna and Kristoff around? No way was she going to leave Elsa alone with two strangers.

"You can trust them." she heard her sister say. The twins hesitated, and then nodded. _Oh wonderful! But now I really do have to be trustworthy. Elsa vouched for me! I mean, not that I was going to _not _be trustworthy. I'm just saying..._

"Okay then," said the woman, stepping forward. She took Elsa's hand in her own. "Let's begin."

Elsa stepped back, eyes wide. "In here? Wouldn't it be better to go into-" Karah looked at the queen sharply. "Fear is your enemy, Your Highness. Fear of others seeing you is _still_ _fear._"

Elsa pulled her hand away from the woman. "No." she said, firmly. "I can't do this here." Karah sighed, looking disappointed.

The brief silence was interrupted by Khan's awkward laughter. "Sister," he said, "We've all just met. We should take some time to get to know each first before we commit to any sort of training." The twins met each other's eyes and seemed to argue silently. A minute later, after much eye twitching and eyebrow moving, Karah sighed.

"Very well." She said, as she turned back towards the queen. "My brother is right. It has been a long journey for us, and I think some rest will do us much good. Shall we meet again tomorrow?"

Elsa seemed hesitant. Then finally, she said, "Yes. At… noon." Karah nodded and turned away.

That's when Anna decided to jump in. "Wait!" She called out, moving towards the retreating pair. They turned towards her.

"Yes?" Khan asked.

Anna brushed back her hair. "Well, um… We still don't know what your power is."

At this, Khan smirked. He raised his hand, pressing his fingers together. As he did so, red light begin to pour from his fingertips, which smoked and then ignited, glowing incandescently before being put out in a flash. "Fire." he said. "Our power is fire."

* * *

><p><strong>ELSA<strong>

* * *

><p>"Well that certainly was… interesting." said Elsa, once they had retreated into their rooms.<p>

"Yeah, no kidding." came Anna's reply, from behind a sheet of linen. "Fire! Wow!"

The princess of Arendelle stepped out, garbed in a light green dress that fell down to her ankles. "What do you think?" she asked, twirling.

Elsa smiled. "It looks great." she said.

Elsa stepped backwards until she reached her bed, and sat. She held her hands up to her face, inspecting her fingers. "I want to know how he did what he did. He just turned it on and off."

She concentrated on her fingers, willing her power to work. Blue light emanated from her fingertips. "On." she said, as a ball of ice formed above her pointed hand.

"And… off?"

The ball of ice shot away, smashing a hole into the ceiling. Elsa, sighed lowering her head as dust fell upon it. "Sometimes it works and sometimes it just… doesn't." she said, her voice a mournful whisper. Immediately, Anna was at her side, hugging her, as a single tear streamed down the Queen of Arendelle's face.

"Elsa." Anna said, her eyes as hopeful as ever. "You'll get it. They'll teach you and you'll be able to control it, just like you did that day."

Elsa remembered it fondly. The day she thawed the kingdom. She felt as if she'd mastered her powers then. Was it confidence that she lacked, or love? She looked at Anna, who had begun fiddling with the strings of her dress. No, it definitely was not love.

"So what do you think of them?" she asked, desperate to change the subject that she started.

"Khan and Karah?" Anna jumped onto the bed, bobbing. "Well they seemed nice." She laughed awkwardly. "Then again, so did Hans, right?"

"I don't think they're like Hans." said Elsa, though she was embarrassed to admit that she didn't really know why she thought that.

"Well, sister." Anna yawned, stretching. "There's only one way to find out."

"What, ask him to marry me and see if he tries to kill me?" Elsa said, jokingly.

Anna smiled at her.

"No."

"Aw, come on!"

"Anna."

"Okay, fine, fine." Anna rolled over onto her belly, resting her chin on the back of her hand. "I wonder what it's like, wherever they're from."

"Me too." she thought about what Khan had said about his city. A place where magic was a regular part of life? She could hardly believe that there was one other person like her, let alone a whole city of them.

"We should visit sometime."

"_If_ they don't try to kill us, then sure." Elsa said. Anna sighed, splaying her arms outward. Elsa laid herself down next to her.

"You know what I'd do if I had fire powers?" Anna said, after a moment of silence.

Elsa suppressed a laugh. "What would you do?"

"Probably burn something down. Not on purpose, but by accident!"

Elsa giggled. Anna's expression was whimsical.

"It would be because I was _trying_ to make soup." the princess added.

"So all that power and you decide to make soup?"

"Um, yeah?" Anna said, rolling her eyes as if no other answer was acceptable. "We'd make the greatest team, too. You could freeze all of the ingredients, preserving them for like... ever, and when we get hungry I could just whip up some fire and ta-da! Soup."

Elsa grinned, hugging her sister. "Thank you." she whispered.


	4. The Fundaments of Magic

_Authors note: This chapter may or may not be a little boring. It is an explanation of how magic works in this world. Hopefully I've explained it clearly enough. If you're confused about anything, let me know in a review or send me a PM and I will do my best to explain!_

* * *

><p><strong>ELSA<strong>

* * *

><p>The Great Hall was empty, excluding the two pairs of siblings. After lunch, the chairs and tables had been moved out, leaving the room barren save for the few lighting stands and decorations along the wall. Light filtered in from the high windows, illuminating rectangles on the floor while the chirping of birds rang from time to time. The siblings from Vharel sat cross-legged in the center of the room. Unlike their style from the day before, they had adopted a more formal fashion, customary for the noblemen of the country.<p>

The Prince had forsaken his robe and now wore white breeches, with a deep orange doublet and gold-trimmed low heel shoes. His sister Karah donned a black bodice with a low neckline over a tight-sleeved peach shirt with a dark red skirt that flowed past her ankles. The foreign princess also accessorized herself with pearl earrings, and smiled with her usual shade of dark red lips. Elsa, who wore her hair in her usual braid, was attired in a dress similar to the one she wore at her coronation, while her sister wore her hair with two braids hanging down her shoulders, along with the dress from the night before.

"Before you can control magic, you must first understand magic." said Karah, as Elsa approached. "I will teach you the basics." Elsa took up her place opposite from the twins. Once she was seated, Khan stood, positioning himself next to Anna, who lounged against the wall. Elsa's heart rate grew. She was finally going to learn how to control her powers!

"Magic originates here. In the heart. " the foreign princess said, pressing her hand against her chest. Elsa watched from the corner of her eye as the Prince attempted to make conversation with the lithe limbed princess. "Don't worry about Khan." Karah whispered, noticing the distraction. " I told him he would not be needed for this lesson. He's just trying to keep your sister company." Elsa nodded, returning her attention to the hazel eyed girl. "Now, close your eyes."

"Okay." Elsa said, complying. All was pitch black. "I don't see anything."

"Not at first, but keep focusing." came the reply. Her voice was soothing, almost hypnotic. "You know it's there. You've used it before. Think back to those times." Elsa did as she was told. "Before it left your fingertips it came from somewhere else. Trace it back to its beginning."

"Before my fingertips… before my hands… before my arms… " A small glow penetrated the darkness. "My heart…" Elsa gasped, as the glow exploded into a twisting mass of blue light which grew at an accelerating pace, before filling her view completely. "I see it!"

"Very good." the voice said, with a hint of pride.

"It's everywhere! This is inside of me?" Elsa felt the light pulsating, like a heartbeat.

"Yes." came the reply. It seemed more distant, somehow, as if Elsa's mind had decided that this new experience was more important that anything else around her. "Your heart is the source of your magic. It is made there, and then stored."

"Stored?" Elsa asked, her brow furrowed. "Every heartbeat, your heart generates what arcane scholars call _flux_." said Karah, enunciating the word, which was new to Elsa.

"Way too pretentious a term for my liking." added a male voice. Khan's. "I just call it _light."_

"Light yes. But don't get it confused with sunlight. This is magical energy in its most pure form." Karah went on.  
>"After generating light, the heart stores it in what is called the <em>core<em>. What you are seeing right now is that core_._ The core is the storage site that lets you hold light inside of your body. Without it, all that magical energy will simply leave the moment it is generated."

"How much can our bodies hold?" Elsa pondered aloud.

"That's hard to say. Everyone is different. Generally it depends on the color. Primary colors are most easily stored, followed by secondary colors, and then tertiary colors. Note that the core can only store one color. This includes all primary, secondary, and tertiary colors."

Woah. Primary, secondary, terti-what? Elsa needed more time to process everything. Already it seemed like too much information at once, especially with the beating blue light being the distraction that it was. She had no idea what those terms even meant. And colors? Like… blue and red? She bottled most of her questions, not wanting to derail the foreign princess' lesson, hoping instead for an opportunity later on to ask whatever she wished.

"So what happens if the storage site is full?" she asked, choosing a question that she felt was the most relevant, hoping Karah wouldn't mind.

"If that happens, because the light has nowhere to be stored, it simply leaves. Depending on how much is generated per heartbeat, this can result in spontaneous magic effects."

Elsa covered her mouth with her hand, an idea forming within her. All of those times, when she had been alone in her room… "What?" Kara asked her. Elsa shook her head. "It's… nothing."

"Okay… well, continuing on then. When you use magic, you first pull it from the core into a site of release. This can be your fingertips, or your feet, or wherever. " Elsa nodded. She suddenly realized that she didn't know if Karah could see her or not. What if the girl had her eyes closed too and was waiting for a response while she just nodded her head? Before she could say anything about it, Karah continued.

"To pull it from the core is like pulling cookies out of a jar. You stick your hand in, grab however much you want, and then pull. With your mind, visualize how much light you need for your spell. Right now you are visualizing _all_ of your light. You don't need quite that much to do magic."

Elsa thought of a snowball. How much magic would she need to make a single snowball? Elsa guessed visualizing a ball of light roughly the same size as the ball she wished to create. "Okay I think I got it, the light is much smaller now. It's like a little orb." she kept the two images steady and side by side, the size of the blue light fluctuating slightly whenever her concentration slipped.

"Good. Now imagine where you want that light to go and then breath." Elsa pictured the fingertips of her right hand and inhaled deeply. She shuddered as a cold sensation travelled down her arm, stopping precisely where she had wanted it to. She opened her eyes. The tips of her fingers were glowing blue. "Woah." she said, her eyes wide. She closed her eyes, trying the same thing, except this time imagining the fingertips of her other hand. She inhaled, and then opened her eyes. Now both sets of fingertips were glowing blue. "This is incredible!" she said, meeting Karah's eyes. The girl beamed at her.

"Now it's not going to fly out of your fingertips on its own." she said. "You must tell it what to do. If you've allocated enough light, your spell will succeed. If not, your spell will fail. The spell will persist for as long as it has light to feed off of."

Tell it what to do? Elsa scrunched her lips, puzzled. Was she supposed to talk to her fingers? _I guess it's worth a shot._ She brought her fingers closer to her mouth. "Um. Snowball." Elsa yelped as a flurry of snowflakes exploded outwards from her fingertips before compressing, forming a single, perfectly round snowball that floated in the air.

Elsa asked the question she longed to know the answer for. "H-how do I turn it off?"

"Before you can do that, I must teach you another technique. Like before, visualize your core." Elsa nodded. She visualized her core more easily this time. "Now, instead of imagining your fingertips, imagine your eyes. Breath and send light there." She pictured herself with her eyes closed, focused only on her eyes, and then breathed. She opened her eyes.

All around her, orbs of light danced. Most moving horizontally, but some bounced up and down. The majority of the lights were white. "Do you see the lights? What you're seeing is light _outside _of your body. When you look at someone, what you see is the light that is leaking out of their core. The brighter someone is, the more light they are leaking passively." Elsa looked at Karah and flinched. The girl's light, red, was so intense that it was almost blinding. Khan's light was the same. She turned towards the doors of the Great Hall, where two white lights lingered. Beyond them, more lights, but fainter. She turned to Anna. Anna's… where was Anna's light? Unlike the Prince, whose light was so bright that she couldn't make out his features, Anna's features could be seen perfectly, from the strands of her hair, to the color of her eyes. She could even make out the small green and black gems of her necklace, once belonging to their mother.

"Now look at the snowball you created." Karah said, tearing her from her thoughts. "It too has light. That light is what's holding it together. Breathe it back in and the spell will end. Not only is this useful for stopping effects, it also allows you to reuse energy for your spells." Elsa's heart raced. She moved her gaze to the snowball, which glowed blue. She focused on the blue light, closed her eyes, and then breathed. When she reopened her eyes, the snowball had disappeared. _I… I did it!_

"Very good!" Karah said, with a laugh. Elsa too, started to laugh. "You did it!" she heard her sister squeal. Elsa braced for the hug, which came a second later. "Will this work for everything?" she asked Karah, who nodded. "For every spell you cast." she said. Elsa grinned. "Thank you." The younger girl tilted her head graciously.

"There are 3 primary colors of flux." Karah started, resuming her lesson. She held up three fingers as Anna retreated, still beaming. "Red, blue, and green. Our hearts can generate either a single color of flux, or multiple colors, to a maximum of 3."

"When a heart generates only a single color of flux, we call it _monochromatic_, so that would be you, me, and my brother. We can only use magic for the color of flux that we generate."

"Red flux, or fire magic, is what my sister and I possess." Khan pitched in, bouncing a ball of flame from hand to hand.

"Blue, the colour for ice magic, is what you possess." continued Karah. "Together they constitute the opposing forces of destruction and creation."

"And green?" Anna asked.

Karah put a finger to her chin. "Green… Green is mostly an enigma to us all. We understand some of its characteristics, but as limited as those are, we can only assume that there is much more that we do not see. For now, let us refer to it as the magic of preservation."

"Creation, destruction, preservation. Got it."

Elsa listened intently, wishing she'd brought something to write with.

"When a heart generates _two _colors, we call it _dichromatic_. This produces a secondary color. A combination of two primary colors. The secondary colors provide a different set of abilities. Magenta, formed by red and blue, gives one the ability to predict the future."

"Wait, what? The future?" Elsa asked.

"Only a few seconds." said Khan, who shrugged. "It has its uses."

Karah nodded. "Cyan, formed by blue and green, enhances one's physical characteristics."

Khan flipped the ball of fire in to the air. "Enhanced strength, speed, the like. Not really superhuman, but more like super _annoying_."

"And yellow," said Karah. "formed by red and green, gives one the ability to create illusions by bending light itself."

"That sounds fun!" said Anna, bouncing.

"Eh." Khan extinguished the flame. "If cyan is super annoying, yellow is _ultra_ annoying."

"And when a heart generates all 3 colors, we call it _trichromatic_, with the resulting color being white. That is what most people are. " At this, Elsa again looked at her sister. Where _was_ her light? Did the fact that neither Karah or Khan have mentioned it mean it wasn't important?

"An important thing to note is no matter how many different colors are generated, the total _amount _of light is the same. So a heart that is monochromatic will generate 100 percent of one color, a heart that is dichromatic will generate 50 percent of each color, and a trichromatic heart will generate one third each.

"And…" Khara said, trailing off as the doors to the hallway burst open, revealing a distraught-looking man in partial plate. "I guess that's it for now."

"News from the the village, my Queen!" said Felix, captain of the castle guard, huffing. "Bandits are attacking from the east!"

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Well, there you have it! Ta-da! Maaaagic! Now the question is, how much will Elsa remember? And how useful will the knowledge be? And what is up with Anna's light? Or rather, her lack of light? What gives? Find out next time (or the next time after next time (or the next time after that))! In the meantime, take a look at the following reference guide, if you're still confused about the whole magic stuff:_

* * *

><p><strong>The Magic of Magic<strong>: _A Beginner's Guide - Taken from the bestselling reference book "Magic For Dummies", by acclaimed scholar Ronald Weasterly_

* * *

><p><em>Magic, in its purest form, exists as light, also called flux. <em>

_There are five steps involved in the use of magic:_

_Generation, Fusion, Storage, Retrieval, Release._

_Generation:  
><em>  
><em>When the heart beats, light is generated. Generated light can be red, green, or blue. The heart can produce only one colour, only two colour, or all three distribution of light across the involved colours is even. This means that if a heart produces red and blue, 50% of the light will be red, and 50% will be blue. Amount of generation per heart beat varies across different individual. Rate of generation increases as heart rate increases. Fear is your enemy! Plus other things! <em>

_Fusion:  
><em>  
><em>Occurs whenever two or more colours of light are in close proximity with each other. The two colours will fuse to create an entirely new colour, with entirely different effects. Other colours can be produced, but due to the equal distribution of lights during generation, the following are the most common:<em>

_Dichromatic_

_Red + Blue = Magenta_

_Blue + Green = Cyan_  
><em>Green + Red = Yellow <em>

_Trichromatic_  
><em>Red + Blue + Green = White<em>

_Storage:  
><em>  
><em>Light is stored after generation. The storage site is known as the core. Only one colour may be stored in the core at any time. Light leaks out of the storage site passively, however, the the rate of generation is high enough to provide a net positive influx of light. If the storage site is full, generated light will bypass storage and be in a state of constant release into the surrounding environment. If the heart rate is elevated, the increased light generation and passive discharge may result in spontaneous effects as well as increased sensitivity for release. Light can also be stored externally, in crystals of the same color.<em>

_Retrieval:  
><em>  
><em>Stored light must be pulled out from core to sites of release before they can be used. Usually achieved by envisioning the amount of light and inhaling deeply. Experienced practitioners of magic can bypass the breathing component. Neat!<em>

_Release:  
><em>  
><em>From the site of release, a magic user can then issue a command. The command will propel the light to the desired location and attempt to perform the desired task. The more specific the command, the more likely the spell will work as intended. A spell can persist for as long as it has light to fuel it. The color of light released determines the type of magic. <em>

_Blue = Ice  
><em>_Red = Fire  
><em>_Green = Nature_

_Cyan = Physical (self-affecting)_  
><em>Yellow = Illusory <em>  
><em>Magenta = Futuresight<em>

_White = Unknown, presumed to have no magical effects_

_Spells can be sustained indefinitely by providing a constant source of magical energy. This is done via a tether, and is most often used in the creation of familiars, or elemental creatures with sentience. The human body is naturally resistant to the effects of magic, and is therefore not easily changed by spells that seek to change it._

_Secondary and tertiary colours can be split back into their component colours via the use of colour chromatography implements (CCIs) and then stored into crystals. Super useful for experiments! Furthermore, CCIs can be used for wand foci, allowing even the typically magically inert (lookin' at you, trichromatics) to perform magic with ease!_

**_VERY IMPORTANT!_**

Do's and Don'ts:

_Do: Rescue kittens from trees. Be careful in your choice of words in order not to harm the poor animal.  
><em>_Don't: Hold said kitten hostage and then demand payment from its owner(s)._

_Do: Experiment with color combinations, but only in a controlled lab area. There are many types of magic just waiting to be discovered, but you never know what can happen when you put stuff together. Nothing could happen, something amazing can happen, or something awful can happen and everyone dies.  
><em>_Don't: Experiment on other people.  
><em>_Don't: ^ Be that guy._

_Do: Keep some charged crystals with you! They're always handy in case of an emergency!  
><em>_Don't: Throw charged crystals! In the same vein, do not let little children play with them! It's all fun and games until little Tomas drops the hot potato._

_Do: Write me letters! I love letters!  
><em>_Don't: Show up at my house unannounced! Arrange an appointment if you want us to meet in person!_

* * *

><p><strong><em>Author's Note: <em>**_Aaaand, that's it for now! Keep an eye out for more helpful guides and useful materials in the future!_


	5. Musings Before The Storm

**KRISTOFF**

* * *

><p>Kristoff stood just inside the line of fortifications that marked the borders of the village, which separated it from the edge of the forest where an uncertain number of men hollered and spat profanity and obscene threats to the frightened denizens of Arendelle. Sven, his reindeer, stood next to him, his unchewed carrot poking out of his mouth. "We'll be alright." Kristoff said, patting the wide-eyed animal on the neck. After a long couple of weeks, the reindeer had finally recovered from an illness that cause him to miss the latest delivery run. Kristoff ran through Sven's fur absently, as soldiers formed up ahead of him<p>

"Line! Form a line!" commanded a coarse voice. Men in uniform marched up the stone steps of the wall that kept the village enclosed, crossbows in the hands of some, longbows in the hands of others, muskets in the hands of a rare few. Arendelle, despite being financially prosperous, were far behind the other countries in military power. Much of the royal army had been dissolved in the years following the death of the late king and queen.

"Of all the places they can strike they attack Arendelle? Did they forget about the castle filled with soldiers just a stroll away?" he heard someone say, a few paces to his right. Kristoff turned. A bald man in a dark blue greatcoat and white over the knee boots was conversing with a similarly styled man donning a doublet of even darker shade of blue and purple cravat inside his own greatcoat. The second man's greying hair was slicked back in an unusual way.

"It's not the soundest tactic, no." The latter man replied. His voiced was clear and well projected. On his hip was an ornamented gold sabre, indicative of his high rank. "But, it does speak of their disregard for us."

"How many do you think are out there?" asked the first man.

"Can't be more than fifty. They make a lot of noise but that's a common scare tactic." The dark haired man appeared thoughtful, as if trying to figure out a riddle associated with the day's events.

"Reinforcements from the castle?"

"On their way." came the curt reply. Kristoff eyed him closely. _That must be the general. What was his name again? Leonius? _

"It doesn't add up." said the first man, shaking his head. "If they were better armed, I could see it, but axes and bows? No siege equipment? How can they hope to breach our gates?"

"I've been wondering about that myself. The number of bandits in the area have increased immensely in the past month. They're raiding our trade caravans, attacking shipments, appearing and disappearing within moments." Leonius frowned. "They're growing. They're getting organized."

The bald man threw up his arms. "And what is the Queen doing about this? Shouldn't she be coming down from her castle, using that magic of hers to put an end to things?" Kristoff balled his fingers into fists at the accusatory tone. "Bandits!" the man went on. "Bandits, challenging the royal army! Despicable!"

"Watch your tongue, Grafton!" the general said, his tone harsh. "I will not have any criticisms of Queen Elsa in this army, and certainly not from one of her colonels." The younger man grumbled, but otherwise remained silent. "The kingdom is still in a state of repair. The coronation was just last month! Since that time she's proven to be a fair leader, which bodes well for the future."

"Fair, sure." the colonel mumbled. "If you neglect the time she _froze _the whole darn place. Magic has never had a place here, you know that."

The general said nothing, but nodded. "I can only hope that things will be different this time. We've come a long way."

_What were they talking about?_ Kristoff wondered, looking away as the general caught his gaze. _This time? What does that mean?_

Kristoff felt a cold wetness on the back of his hand. Sven, having finally consumed the rest of his carrot, had nudged him, reindeer eyes conveying eagerness to get away from all the noise. Kristoff nodded, turning towards the village. Most of the homes closest to the bandits had been evacuated. Stragglers remained, though the belongings slung over their shoulders suggested that they, too, were heading for the pier. Kristoff walked in that direction, far enough that the singing of arrows flying through the air could no longer be heard.

Judging that they were a safe enough distance away, Kristoff turned, coming off the street that led to the pier onto a perpendicular walkway that led to the tavern. Given its proximity to the action, it was likely that the place was empty, which was fine with him. He never planned on going anywhere in particular. He just needed to walk. With only the sound of his boots and Sven's hooves pounding, he turned his thoughts to the issues that plagued his mind, which were reinvigorated by the conversation he had overheard.

From what Elsa had told him, or rather, what she told her sister Anna while he was present, the kingdom was straining under the pressure of several forces. The most noteworthy of those was the feud with the Southern Isles. Hans, the crooked prince, had been returned to his country with his tail between his legs. Arendelle expected the South to punish the man's actions. However, from what the men at the tavern were saying, Hans was welcomed back with open arms without a single word said of the injustice he had wrought.

Instead, the part the infuriated Kristoff, Hans' time in Arendelle had been treated as political crime enacted against the Southern Isles _by _Arendelle. Collaborating with the Duke of Weselton, the South had spread the lie across the rest of the continent, wildly exaggerating the "trials" of Prince Hans during captivity and decrying the Queen as a volatile and dangerous ice witch. All in all, it amounted to the loss of many trading partners and the withdrawal of support from the neighbouring nations to defend against the looming Southern threat.

With the loss of trade, the finances of Arendelle became heavily dependant on its ice business, which, though flourishing, suffered as well, as the distances needing to be travelled for delivery increased with the need to find trading partners to replace the ones they have lost. Now with the increased presence of bandits, even that part of the kingdom seemed prime to collapse. Kristoff felt a pit form in his stomach. Elsa depended on him to keep the kingdom afloat, but with the bandits and the loss of his sled, he was handicapped. There were others in the kingdom's employ, but as head of the business, he had been forced to cease all deliveries while the bandit presence remained. In the past week, they'd lost all of their shipments. It was just too risky.

He looked back towards the sounds of battle as he passed the tavern. If the assault failed, would the bandits leave Arendelle alone? He faced Sven, who lowered his head. Even the reindeer doubted it. Perhaps once Elsa increased the number of patrols, they'd be able to get shipments across the border again, but who knew how long that might take?

And what of those twins? The ones who came the day before? He'd spoken to them earlier at lunch, and while they seemed normal enough, he didn't like the way they stared. Particularly at the Queen. It always seemed like there was something they could see that no one else could, and that they revelled in flaunting what they knew but would not say. They were at the castle now with Elsa and Anna. Kristoff wished he'd stayed. While they _seemed_ fairly harmless, he didn't trust them. Nobles always had a knack for seeing others as play things to be toyed with. _Except Anna and Elsa_ _of course._

Kristoff stopped. The path he had travelled on had come to an end, and he once again found himself just behind the village fortifications. The stone walls were unmanned. Kristoff found that odd. Did they need every man, including sentries, for a small bandit attack? He walked up to the stairway, motioning for Sven to stay. At the top of the wall he had a clear view of the clearing before the edge of the forest. All was quiet. Not a single bird was singing, which was an oddity for Arendelle. He started pacing along the length of the walkway. The clearing was empty, and so was the forest for as much as he could see. So then why did everything feel so-

"Ack!" he yelped, jerking away. His right hand came up to grasp the forearm of his left. He pulled the hand away. Small droplets of blood spilled to the ground. He looked back at what had hurt him. A hook, clinging onto an embrasure. At its base, hanging over the edge of the wall trailed a long length of rope, that ended on the ground _outside_ of the village.

Kristoff froze, processing the scene for a second before bolting down the stairway to where Sven was standing. The reindeer had a frightened expression on his face. "Sven? What's the matter?" he asked, troubled. Before the reindeer could respond, a man stepped around the corner of a building opposite to where they were standing. His long and silvery hair blew with a gust of wind. He had a long vertical cut along the right side of his cheek. His eyes, pure black, stared back at Kristoff with an air of impassivity that chilled him to the bone. The stranger stepped forward, black boots scraping against the floor. His body was covered with a flowing cape of yellow. In fact, the man seemed to radiate yellow. He took more steps forward, his thin lips straight and lacking of any emotion. And then he smiled, wicked and white, as a yellow light passed from one side of his face to the other, changing the skin as it went. When the effect had finished, opposite from Kristoff, was no longer the man that was there just moments before, but himself. An almost perfect mirror image, with glowing yellow eyes. "Run Sven!" Kristoff shouted, as the dopelganger broke into a sprint.


	6. Duty and Trust

**KHAN**

* * *

><p><em>A bandit attack?<em>

The dark haired Prince of Vharel folded his arms. There was an urgency in the man's voice, but a bandit attack hardly seemed urgent. The stocky man looked in his direction, eyes narrowing. He'd forgotten that he was still a stranger. Khan raised his arms innocently.

"They're friends." he heard Queen Elsa say, permitting the man to divulge additional information in their presence.

_Are we, though?_ He tapped his finger against his bicep, thoughtful. Or was the Queen just saying that to get the guard to ease up around them? It would be troubling if the Queen trusted them that much after a little more than a day of knowing them. Did the thrill of excitement and discovery override caution, as it was wont to do? _Or maybe the concept of friends is different in these parts._

He leaned back against the wall, flaring his light. Sure enough, in the distance was a cluster of bobbing white lights, interspersed with secondary lights that were few and far in between. To the south was a lone yellow light darting along in a straight line, its vertical position higher than most. _Probably a sentry_, he thought.

It was not odd to see secondary lights, even in places that seemed devoid of magic. Untrained, an owner of a secondary colour of light would not normally manifest magical abilities unless placed under significant pressure, and _even then_ it was rare. What Khan found most odd, however, was the complete lack of light from the Arendelle princess. Anna.

He turned his attention towards her as she made what she believed to be a witty comment relating the bandits and their inability to deal with rampaging reindeer to their lack of judgement in attacking a village under royal protection. The comment elicited a giggle in Karah, while the Queen and the messenger smiled. Khan had to smile as well. While magic was a rare gift, the ability to make people smile with so much consistency seemed to be far rarer. It was an ability he'd seen only in one other person - his own sister.

But what about her lack of light?

He eyed the necklace the girl wore around her neck. The chain links were black, with a pendant of small green and black gems with a black stone in the center. He hovered closer, ignoring the looks of the soldier and the Queen. The links were inconsequential, he concluded, with a twist of his mouth, as they were likely painted that way. The gems were more curious. If those _were _obsidian gemstones, that would explain the lack of light coming from the girl. In such a case, especially in Vharel, the lack of leakage was not much of a concern. High ranking lords and ladies often hid light leakage as a preventive measure, and did so with the help of obsidian, which bore specially absorptive properties. But that was _in Vharel._ He knew little and less of the culture in these parts.

"Prepare a boat." he heard Queen Elsa say, snatching him from his thoughts. "I would have a word with these bandits."

"I… Y-yes, Your Highness." the man seemed genuinely surprised as he turned away, dashing back in the direction that he came.

Khan hummed, watching the Queen's determined face. The Queen's decision to confront the bandits herself was one that he would've supported, had his input been requested. Publicly using magic to defend the populace would do well to earn her the respect of her people and hopefully calm whatever fears of magic they still held. As he pondered, his eyes followed the long white braid of the her hair as it slithered around her neck and over her shoulder to its tip and then broke his gaze to follow the outline of her chin to the pinkness of her lips. _Lights! _he thought, quickly looking away as the Queen turned her head towards him.

"What is that?" Queen Elsa asked. He looked up, meeting her blue eyes. "Were you humming?" she asked him.

Khan suppressed a groan. _I really need to get rid of that habit_. "Uh, yes." he managed to say. He stood up straighter, clearing his throat. "It helps me think."

"Name me guilty as well." said Karah, with a smile.

"What were you humming?" Anna asked. "Is it a song?" Khan noted her excitement with despair. He threw a look at Karah. _Say it isn't, tell her it isn't_.

"Of course it is!" Karah replied, beaming.

Anna squealed and then caught herself, looking embarrassed. "I um. It's just." She laughed, awkward. "We _really _like to sing around here."

"Oh really?" said Karah, her tone transmitting surprise. _No! Shut up! Don't you dare-_ "It's funny you mention that because my brother and I _also_ love to sing. Back home we did it all the time. I mean, not _all _the time, but we sang a song about waking up, and a song about breakfast." Khan sunk deeper into himself as his sister counted off their various performances.

Anna gasped. "That's amazing!" she said, eyes twinkling. "My sister and I actually sang a duet at the top of a mountain in an ice castle once and let me tell you, singing while walking up some ice steps and trying not to fall over is not an easy task to accomplish!"

Karah laughed. Khan wished he could put his hands over his ears and vanish. "I believe you!" his sister said. "Back home my brother and I were actors in a play and my brother played a character who was supposed to be the first lightcaster ever and was afraid of what his friends would say if he showed them what he could do. One day he just got fed up and started to sing about casting away all of his inhibitions and just… letting go. It was truly marvelous."

Anna grinned at the Queen. The Queen however, looked away, her cheeks reddening. "Let's… not get carried away." she said, after a moments silence. "We need to hurry down to the village and deal with the bandit problem first. Then after, maybe we can discuss, um… singing."

"I like that plan." Anna nodded, before skipping ahead of them through the doors and down to the pier.

Once Anna was gone, the Queen sighed. "She puts so much faith in me." she said, her voice barely a step higher than a whisper. "I hope I don't fail everyone again."

"You'll do great." Karah assured her, placing a hand on the Queen's shoulder. "It'll just need some getting used to. Just make sure to be specific in your commands. If you remember to do that, your magic won't hurt anyone you don't want it to."

That seemed to be good enough, as the Queen nodded and proceeded through the doors to follow her sister.

Khan looked to his own sister, raising a brow as she caught his eye. _Should we follow them?_ The girl cocked her head to the side then jabbed it in the direction of the doors. _I think we're expected to. Besides, what are we going to do here? There isn't even any food._ Khan smiled, then followed the Queen, with Karah close behind.

* * *

><p><strong>ANNA<strong>

* * *

><p><em>When I see those bandits, I am going to give them a piece of my mind!<em> Anna thought with determination as the boat neared the wharf. The village of Arendelle was straight ahead, its old and proud buildings casting shadows that pointed westward. Ahead, past the wharf, was a street of stone that led east, towards the gates. The sounds of battle did not reach them at their distance, save for the occasional blast of gunfire.

Behind her, the two twins from Vharel were silent. The Prince seemed uncomfortable on the water, while the princess seemed right at home. _The trip across the sea must have been awful for him_, Anna thought with a frown. It's no wonder that they had opted to anchor their ship in a city on the eastern shore rather than sailing straight to Arendelle, which would have undoubtedly added even more time to their voyage.

"Are they expecting me?" she heard her sister ask from her left. The soldiers that sat with them looked at each other, unsure of who should speak.

"Probably not, Your Highness." said a soldier from the rear. He wore a breastplate with a gilded crocus at its center, indicating his position as captain of the guard. The symbol was found throughout Arendelle, but particularly on high ranking individuals of the court and in the army.

Elsa nodded, her face forward. She didn't change into any protective clothing, which worried Anna. _She can do this_, she told herself. She had to trust in her sister, but she also didn't want her getting hurt. She bent forward, looking into the water suddenly wishing that the boat would never reach the shore.

* * *

><p><strong>ELSA<strong>

* * *

><p>The gates of the village rose before them. The sounds of battle weren't as loud as she expected. Then again, it wasn't much of a battle. Her soldiers were positioned on the walls, firing at the bandits who stood, for the most part, out of firing range. Every now and then, a volley of arrows would crest the walls. None have fallen, for as far as she could see.<p>

"Queen Elsa!" she heard a voice call. She turned. "Your Highness, you are standing within range of their arrows." the gray haired man said, as he approached. His clothes were fashionable.

"You are not wearing your plate, general." Elsa said, dissatisfied. "My apologies, Your Highness." Leonius replied, with a bow. "My wife and I were at a luncheon with colonel Grafton and _his_ wife when news of the assault reached us. I sent a runner back for my armor, but it seems it would not be needed."

"Are we winning?" Elsa asked. The general shrugged. "They've been sitting over there firing their bows at us for ages. Most of them just bounce off the wall. I'm beginning to think they have no idea what it is they are doing."

"I see. In that case, I doubt I will be in much danger where I stand. Tell them to open the gates."

The general's eyes widened, his expression incredulous. "My Queen, I've commanded a sortie already. It's organizing as we speak."

Elsa faltered. _No. I need to do this._ "Call it off." Elsa said, firmly. "I will take care of the bandits myself." Leonius was silent, but his eyes betrayed his thoughts. He nodded, then turned and barked a command to his men. Beside him was the silent colonel, who watched unblinkingly as the gates were opened.

"I need to do this." Elsa said, turning to her sister and the two twins. "Alone." She walked out, then signalled for the gates to close behind her. She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. A cold sensation flowed from her heart, down her arm, and into her fingertips. They glowed softly, under the light of the afternoon sun. Ahead, the bandits ceased their firing, lowering their bows.

"I will give you a chance to surrender!" Elsa shouted, raising her fingertips to the direction of the bandits, some of which stood cowardly behind the trees that marked the edge of the forest. They laughed. Elsa sighed, wisps of blue light escaping her mouth as a flurry of arrows flew her way.


	7. Birth of a Warrior Queen

**ELSA**

* * *

><p>The queen of Arendelle walked ahead of the first volley of arrows and erected a wall of ice to protect herself from the second. The arrows fell to the side of her barrier, missing it entirely. She advanced.<p>

"Don't let up, men!" shouted a voice from across the narrow field. "Keep her pinned!"

She inhaled and then loosed a blast of magic from her fingertips in the direction of the voice. The light smashed against the trees, freezing all that it struck. Her target stepped around the newly formed blockade, sneering. "That all, witch?"

Elsa checked her reserves. Her light had depleted somewhat, but still shone brightly. She closed her eyes and inhaled. The wall of ice behind her disappeared as the magic returned to her core.

"How about this!" she muttered, sweeping her arms in a wide arc in front of her. The ground exploded as ice shot forth in the form of icicles. They soared towards the bandits who retreated behind the trees. Planting her foot forward, she focused light into her palms and pushed.

_Fight for me._

The light from her palms caught up with the icicles in mid-flight, transforming them upon contact. They took a bipedal form and bared sharp teeth and claws.. The ice gremlins sunk their claws into the tree trunks and then leaped onto the frightened men. Lines of blue reached back from the transforming icicles, connected to Elsa's chest.

_Don't kill them. Please._

A pulse travelled from her chest, down the lines and to the gremlins, who suppressed their aggression accordingly, striking to disarm. When a gremlin was destroyed a connecting line vanished. The leader of the bandits swore, cutting at the creatures with his sword. Elsa retreated behind another wall of ice as the bandit leader commanded another volley. The arrows fell short. In her brief panic she severed her connection to the gremlins, who fell in clumps of shattered ice around her foes. **  
><strong>

* * *

><p><strong>KARAH<strong>

* * *

><p>"She's quite good." Karah said, impressed. Around her, soldiers stared in awe.<p>

Her brother shifted uncomfortably. He wasn't fond of acknowledging the talents of another lightcaster. "Well she has had practice before we came here."

"It's not just that." Karah watched as the queen danced across the field. "Look at how she moves. She's a natural."

An arrow landed next to the queen's foot. Elsa jumped back in alarm. An angry voice rose from the forest. Karah's heart skipped a beat. Another wave of arrows flew, but they did not come as close.

"Her footwork leaves much to be desired." Khan noted with a humph.

"Oh don't be such a critic." Karah waved at him. "If I remember correctly, during _your_ first battle, you were floundering around like you were a fish caught out on land."

Khan's ears turned red, much to Karah's satisfaction. They watched the battle continue in silence.

"Are you sure this is wise, brother?" she whispered, after a time. "Letting her fight alone like this?" The two twins were standing before the wooden embrasure, watching the battle below. "She could get hurt."

"She's" said Khan as Elsa erected yet another wall of ice to deflect the incoming projectiles "not going to."

"Maybe not." Karah bit her lip, watching the men behind the trees nock and release. The arrows went wild, falling in the peripherals of the queen. Again.

Khan looked at her. "They seem a little idiotic, don't you think?"

Karah hummed. "What do you mean?"

"They have technique, but their aim is off by miles."

She bit her lip. "Well, I wouldn't exactly call not knowing how to use a bow idiotic."

"I'm not saying they don't know how to use them!" He pointed. "They do, that's what's so idiotic."

Karah frowned. Something _was _off. She turned back to the bandits, watching their movements carefully. They drew their arrows and nocked them in fluid motions. The way they held their bows bespoke experience. Yet when they released, the arrows went wild.

"They're not aiming for her?" she wondered. She drew looks from the soldiers around her.

"No." said Khan, as the latest wave of arrows missed their mark. The queen stood perplexed between the gates and the bandit position. Light streamed from her arms but she no longer made any moves to defend herself. "She's not in danger. Not from the arrows anyways."

"The archers aren't aiming to kill." said a new voice. A man stepped up beside him. His graying hair was slicked back and he wore a sword at his hip. "It's a distraction."

Karah flared her light. In the forest was a dim cyan colored orb, growing larger with each passing moment. "Or a trap." she said, her voice wavering.

"Or both." Khan said with a curse. He spun away as the gray haired man barked an order to the soldiers to open the gates.

* * *

><p><strong>ELSA<strong>

* * *

><p>Elsa stood in a field of arrows. Shafts protruded from the ground on both sides of her, but aside from the one arrow that almost struck her foot, none of them had even come close. Even the ones deflected by her wall would not have harmed her. Arrows continued to fall, behind her, in front of her, and around. Her hands dropped to her sides, blue light streaming from the tips, as she stared at the bandit leader with a look of bafflement on her face.<p>

The bandit leader raised his sword, pointing the tip at her heart as they made eye contact. His men moved forward, weapons drawn for a melee. Elsa felt a stab of fear as she watched the sharp blades approach. A bolt of blue light escaped her hand, flying backwards into the village wall and freezing a portion of it. She clenched her fist, closing her eyes. _No! I can control it now!_

When her eyes opened, the men had already crested half the distance between them. Elsa tried to steady her breathing, but her breaths came out ragged. She raised her fingers, which glowed an iridescent blue.

"Don't come any closer!" she shouted. The men acted as if they didn't hear her. Many of them wielded clubs, but others carried hatchets and spears. A rare few carried swords.

She heard the gates opening behind her. "Queen Elsa!" shouted the clear voice of her general, accompanied by the sound of shuffling feet. "My Queen, it's a trap!"

Elsa turned. "No!" she cried. She loosed a beam of light, striking the gates. It froze over instantly, sealed shut. She needed to do it alone, otherwise her people would always fear her. Few trusted her truly, after what she'd done. She needed to show them that she intended to use her powers for the good of the kingdom and to protect her people.

She erected a wall of ice and pushed. The wall slid forward slowly, hindered by the grass, so she froze a trail and sent the structure crashing into the lines of the men that were almost upon her. They fell over in a pile of rags and wood and metal. She picked off the ones that sidestepped the wall, encasing them in ice from the neck down. They were just bandits. She could handle bandits.

* * *

><p><strong>KHAN<strong>

* * *

><p>Khan sprinted down the steps, heading for the crack as the gate opened. Elsa's magic struck before he could get to it. He growled, flaring his light. The blue light of the wall interfered with his vision, but he could still see the inferno that marked the queen along with the dull whites of the bandits. Beyond them all was the lone cyan coloured orb that continued to grow.<p>

At first he wasn't certain that it would be another lightcaster, but the way it moved - the _speed_ at which it moved, affirmed his fears.

He kicked at the wall of ice, then closed his eyes. Red light flowed from his core into his right arm. He balled his hand into a fist and thrust it into the thick sheet of ice, permeating his red light through the gelid stratum. The entire blockade melted in seconds.

* * *

><p><strong>ANNA<strong>

* * *

><p>"Elsa!" Anna cried. She couldn't stand it anymore, watching her sister get surrounded and lunged at and insulted and being unable to do anything about it. She searched for a way to get down to the field and join her sister. Khan had melted the blockade, but Elsa had erected another to take its place, trapping the Prince inside. She was losing control!<p>

"No, no, no, no, no!" Anna muttered, holding the hem of her dress as she hurried down the steps of the battlement. She got to Khan, who was frozen from the neck down. Wisps of red light streamed from his mouth as he struggled to get himself free.

A soldier walked by, sword sheathed at his hip. Anna reached forward and grabbed the pommel, tugging the blade free. The man began to protest but apologized as soon as he registered her face. She lifted the sword above her head and began hacking away at the ice. Khan stopped struggling and instead looked at her with a perplexed expression.

"Don't. Say. A. Word." Anna grunted, in between swings.

* * *

><p><strong>ELSA<strong>

* * *

><p>Most of the bandits had been defeated, and only the leader remained. They stood opposite each other, several paces away. The terrain was littered with broken pieces of wood and ice. The bandit leader twirled his sword with a flourish, sneering wickedly. Elsa kept her distance, hands raised. She lunged, blue light streaming from her hand. The man rolled away as ice erupted from the ground where he had just been.<p>

"Your men are defeated." Elsa said, backing away as the man advanced. She breathed, replenishing the light in her fingertips. She launched another bolt of light at the man, who dodged again. Elsa anticipated it, transforming the ground into a smooth layer of ice. The bandit leader stumbled and fell, his rough stubbled mouth scraping against floor. He rolled into a crouch.

"Not yet." he smiled, his eyes flashing dangerously.

"What did you hope to achieve?" Elsa asked, as she sent the man crashing back against the ground. She didn't want to hurt him any more than she had to. The attack didn't make any sense to her. They never would've been able to take the village with their numbers, and if by some miracle they did, they would not be able to withstand a counterattack from the castle. Why make such a fuss over a hopeless cause?

The man got up. He pointed the sword at the ground and used it to steady himself. "The name's Raynalt, if you were wonderin'." He said, spitting out a tooth. Behind him, the soldiers on the battlements were making a commotion. She thought she heard Anna's voice among the chorus.

"I wasn't, but thanks." Elsa tracked his motions carefully. "Now answer my question."

The man shifted his leg forward.

Elsa withdrew, raising her arms in alarm. "Don't come any closer." she warned.

Reynalt shrugged, pulling his leg back. "You're wondering why we weren't trying to kill you earlier." His hair was a tangled mess of black and there was a vertical scar on his right cheek.

Elsa nodded. There was something odd in the way the man stared at her.

"We didn't come for your village." he said, speaking the words slowly. His voice dropped to a whisper as a ball of flame was launched from the battlements behind. "We came for you."

* * *

><p><strong>KARAH<strong>

* * *

><p>Her attack barely fazed the metal man, but it caught the attention of the queen, who jumped to the side right before the rogue lightcaster lunged at her. She was wide-eyed, her features expressing fear. Before her stood a monster of a man covered head to toe in steel. His pauldrons smoked from where her fire struck, though he did not seem bothered by any sort of pain.<p>

The metal man turned his head towards the bandit leader, who nodded, reaching into the folds of his shirt to pull out a large blue gem attached to a length of chains. He tossed it to the newcomer. After a short exchange of words, the bandit spun and fled back into the forest, his sword sheathed at his side.

_She's not ready for this,_ Karah thought, panicked, as the bruiser studied the queen. She ran down the length of the wall to the gate and leaped, her dress flapping around her as she flew through the air. She focused her magic into her palm and held it towards the ground in front of the gate, releasing a torrential burst of flame to slow her fall. She landed with a thud, superheated air and smoke fanning out in a ring.

"Let's go, Khan." she said, sweeping her arm back to break her brother free from his cage."Wait!" the princess of Arendelle cried, as they turned away. "I'm coming with you."

Karah sighed, turning to her. She had on a brave face, but her eyes were wide, fearful for the safety of her sister. _Were those tears in her eyes? _She wouldn't blame her if they were. Still, it was too dangerous. None of them expected the arrival of a brute. She hated herself for what she had to say._  
><em>  
>"Come on, then." said Khan, before Karah could open her mouth to speak. Anna rushed past them, a sword clutched in her shaking hands.<br>**  
><strong>"If you didn't have powers, and I was in danger," Khan whispered "would you try save me?"

"I would." Karah replied, falling into stride alongside her brother. "But I'd rather it be me who got hurt instead of her."

"Then we'll just have to protect both of them."

* * *

><p><strong>ELSA<strong>

* * *

><p>The towering man lunged at her with inhuman speed. Elsa backpedaled, but her foot struck the shaft of an arrow and she tumbled to the ground. She pulled herself up, clumps of grass clinging to her single braid of hair. She snapped her wrist towards her assailant, an icicle forming from the light in mid air. He made no move to stop it as it crashed against his face plate. The man advanced, unfazed by her counter.<p>

She flared her light. The man radiated a bright cyan colour from his core, unlike the whites of the other bandits. _He has to be using magic to make himself stronger!_

The man continued walking, his pace unchanging. "You should have spent more time practicing and less time locking yourself up in your room, Queen." The man's voice was sonorous, and his words flowed from his mouth like a river.

He jumped towards her.

Elsa scrambled backwards but he had caught her wrist in his hand, twisting it. She felt powerless as he pushed her to the ground.

"Get off of me!" She shrieked, focusing as much magic as she could into her arms, but the faceless man thrust a large blue gem against her chest. There was black disc around its circumference that whirred as soon as the gem made contact. She felt a cold sensation in her heart as light flowed from her core into the gem. She felt her arms grow weak as her power continued to be drawn from her. She closed her eyes. The raging inferno that was her core was shrinking by the moment.

"Wh-what are you doing to me?" she rasped. She tried to kick herself away, but the man's inhuman strength held her in place.

"Stay silent." The man commanded. "It will be over soon. Struggling is-" _Clonk!_ A stone ricocheted off the man's plate.

"Get away from my sister, you creep!"

Elsa's heart skipped a beat._ Anna. _

"You will watch your sister die." The man whispered into Elsa's ear as he got up. He formed fists with his hands and turned to face the princess. Then suddenly, he froze. Elsa followed his gaze.

Anna stood defiantly opposite from the man. She had a sword in her hands, one that she clearly wasn't experienced in using. Behind her stood the garrison of Arendelle, including Leonius with his sabre drawn and the twins from Vharel, their fire magic swirling around their figures like a tornado.

Elsa took the chance to launch a blast of magic at the man's chest, pushing her away from her captor. He glared at her before taking off towards the forest. Khan and a dozen guards followed in pursuit.

"Elsa!" said Anna, kneeling by her side. "Are you alright?"

The queen of Arendelle massaged her temple. She nodded, sitting up. Anna embraced her, and then helped her to her feet.

"I failed." Elsa whispered.

Anna smiled, cocking her head to the side as if she had just uttered a joke. "Are you kidding?" she said, gesturing towards the rest of the field. The soldiers had begun tying up the bandits that she had defeated, fifty of them at least. Some of the soldiers looked at her with awe. Others with concern. None, she was surprised to see, looked at her with fear.


End file.
